Coiling device



April? 9 192 I -r ifi,15

COILING DEVICE Filed Aug. 11, 1924 1N VENTUH AI: VVILLAT II'm-Vl 1' 4: [3% VII r the spring at a plurality of points, to the flexi-' j UNITED, STATES-PATENT 'oFFmE.

ARNOLD F1 WI L-AT, OF SAN RAIAEL CALIFORNIA.

COILING DEVICE. I

Application filed August 11,1924. Serial no. 731,531.

This invention relates to a new and useful device for preventing the flexible conductor cords of desk or extension telephones, electric irons, radio head sets, and other instrument cords or like flexible electrical conductors from becoming knotted or twisted or entangled and resides in the provision of a single and inexpensive device of. this nature which when attached to said flexible cords or conductors will readily yield with the\extension or movement. of the cord or moving the instrument to which the cord is attached, and will act on placing the instrument back on its stand or near to the point where the stationary end of the cord is attached to cause the surplus of the cord to automatically take the form of a series of coils or convolutions and thereby revent entanglementof the cord.

An 0 ject -of. the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is made up in the form of a spring provided with means for attaching the convolutions of I ble cord, the said spring stretching out on extension of the cord and convolving with the cord on release of the cord.

One of the important objects of the'invention is to provide a device of the character described which may be easily attached to a flexible cord or wire without necessitating the winding of'the device around the cord or vice versa. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which will be fairly inconspicuous when attached to acord 9r wire.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the ac- 'companying drawing, and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it beingunderstood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claimsfmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

'Fig. 1 represents a side elevation pf a desk telephone showing the device of my lnventlon applied to the extension cord.

Fig. 2 represents a fragmentary side elevation of a flexible cord showing a modified form of the invention attached thereto.

I Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary side eleva tion of a cordshowing the device of the in-' vention applied thereto. 7

Fig. 4 represents a similar view of a cord showing another modified form of the in vention. 7

Fig. 5 represents a side elevation of the device of the invention as when applied to a volved. On theconvolutions of the spring I provide means for attaching the spring to a flexible cord or wire, the spring and attaching means being preferably so constructed that it is not necessary to wind the spring around the wire or vice versa, in order to attach it. The spring, regardless of its shape and construction, must be such that it willreadily yield on extension or movement-of the intoaseries of convolutions or coils, as the cord but on release of the cord, form the cord case may be, so as to prevent entanglement, I

knotting or twisting of the cord.

Preferably I constructthe device from a single piece of resilient wire, first bent to form a series of spaced annular slips or grips 1, simulating rings but open on one side as at 2 and joined to one another by straight wire portions 3 which extend at right angles to the grips and are in staggered relation to one another. The openings 2 in the grips are in line with one another along one side of the series of loops or grips whereas the straight pprtions 3 in being staggered are adapted to' lie against opposite sides'of the' cord or wire.

This arrangement of spaced loops or grips of ring-like form, together with the straight connecting portions defines in effect, a series" ofoppositely opening hooks, eachhook comprising a pair of the grips and a straight connection portion 3. After forming the wire with the series'of grips and straight portions,

spring of the form shown in "Figs. '6 and 7. j

After the wire is convolved to form the spring, it is subject to attachment to the cord 4, for example as shown in Fig. 1, wherein said cord is attached at its ends to a'telephone A, and to the bell mechanism B. The spring device need be but sufficiently long or large to be connected with the greater portion of but not the entire cord. To attach the cord it is only necessary to begin with one end of the spring and force the cord into the loops or grips throughout the spring, until the other end is reached, it being unnecessary to'move the spring around the cord in a winding motion or to move the cord in such a motion around the spring. The openings in the grips are of less width than the diameter of the cord and the grips are resilient so that in forcing the cord through the opening in the grips, the ends are forced apartand will grip the cord. -When the spring is attached,

the grips closely embrace the cord and the straight portions lie in close engagement with the cord alon opposite sides thereof. On

movement of t 1e instrument or on the extension or movement of the cord, the spring will readily yield and on release of the cord will cause the cord to be convolved into a series of fiat folds or coils, depending on the con-,

struction of the spring, in either event, in such manner that the cord will not be subject-to being knotted, twisted or entangled.

As shown in Fig. 2, the spring device is formed with a series of grip portions 5 caused by bending the resilient wire first in a spiral form and before completing the spiral turn,

bending it back in the opposite direction,

thereby defining the portions 5 as extending in opposite directions and adapted with the curved portions 6 to embrace the cord without surrounding it. One of these portions 5 will extend part way around the cord in one direction and the next portion 5 will extend part way around in the opposite direction. This wire, after being bent, is convolved to form a retractile spring of either type, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a form of the device wherein the wire 7 before being convolved into spring form, has a plurality of arcuate spring clips 8 attached in any suitable manner, thereto at spaced points, which clips correspond in shape to the clips 1 of the previously described form of the invention and are adapted to embrace and rip the cord. This form of the invention maydoe convolved to form a spring of either of the forms shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. This form, as well as the first described form, comprises a retracat spaced points on its convolutions, a plurality of annular grips joined by straight portions of resilient wire. The form of the invention shown in Fig. 2 differs from this only in that the grip portions 5 are arcuate and are joined by curved spirally formed portions instead of straight portions.

I claim:

v1. A device of the characterdescribed comprising a single piece of resilient wire bent to form a series of spaced annular clips open on one side and joined to one another by straight wire portions which extend at right angles to the clips and arein staggered relation toone another, which wire being thus bent is convolved to form a retractile spring with the clips disposed at spaced intervals on convolutions of the spring and arranged to detachably receive a flexible cord or other element which will be maintained in the convolved form of the spring.

2. A device of the character described comprising a single piece of resilient wire formed into a series of spaced arcuate clips open on one side thereof and joined to one another by wire portions, which portions extend between and space said clips apart, said piece of wire being thus formed is convolved to form a helical spring, with the clips disposed at spaced intervals on the convolutions of said spring and arranged to detachably receive a cord or other element which will be maintained in the convolved form of said spring.

ARNOLD F. WILLATQ iii 

